The Prentice School Celebrates 30th Anniversary as a Premier School That Helps Students Succeed Academically Despite Having a Learning Difference

Published on September 28, 2016

NORTH TUSTIN, Calif., Sept. 28, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Prentice School, a nonpublic, private, and nonprofit academic school with an established reputation as one of the leading schools for children with learning differences that include dyslexia (language-based processing disorder), dyscalculia (math-based processing disorder), dysgraphia (written language-based processing disorder), attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and anxiety announced today that this school year marks its 30th year anniversary of its founding.

In 1986, a dedicated group of Orange County professionals, psychologists, doctors, educators, and parents came together to address the needs of students who were struggling academically to learn in a traditional classroom environment. These thought-leaders recognized the need for a school that could proactively assist this unique student population through a combination of research-based multisensory teaching strategies and an intervention curriculum implemented in a safe, nurturing, and supportive environment.

30 years later, The Prentice School has transformed the lives of over 5,000 students with learning differences. The Prentice Approach is designed to engage students on three learning pathways, including auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. Using evidence-based curriculum and instructional methodologies, a structured literacy approach, multi-sensory instructional strategies, and ongoing progress monitoring, The Prentice School offers an unparalleled experience to students with learning differences who possess average to high intelligence, but whose needs have not been met in a more traditional classroom setting. Prentice’s comprehensive model includes academics, enrichment, social and emotional supports, Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language Services—all on one beautiful campus during the school day.

Alicia Maciel, Executive Director of The Prentice School says, “Our approach is focused on educating the whole child at an academic, social, and emotional level. Our highly qualified, caring faculty, combined with a supportive learning environment and small classroom sizes, allows us to tap into the talents of each student while supporting his or her unique learning differences. Over the last 30 years we’ve gathered tremendous experience that enables us to be effective at what we do.”

“These students possess average to above average cognitive abilities but struggle to learn in a traditional classroom setting,” says Devon Green, Director of Enrollment at Prentice. “A majority of them have a language-based learning difference that affects their ability to learn to read, to develop written language skills and to develop mathematical skills. A high percentage of Prentice graduates return to the public school system as fully functioning members of their classes, having acquired invaluable skills that positively impact the future of their families, their communities and their future.”

“When I think about the more than 5,000 students and families that have been impacted by Prentice over the past 30 years, I can’t help but smile and tear up at the same time,” says Mark Gaines, former Prentice parent and currently Board President for Prentice. “I know that many, if not most of these families had a similar experience to our family. Their child was struggling academically and emotionally but when they found Prentice, amazingly, their child became happy and is learned. As my daughter said after her first day at Prentice, ‘Best school ever!'”

Dr. Virginia Mann, Professor of Linguistics at University of California, Irvine (UCI) and consultant to Prentice, says, “I have watched The Prentice School grow and flourish over the 30 years that I have been at UCI. One of my students studied Prentice students in his doctoral thesis in 2005, and it is my pleasure to now be working with the school to create an optimal environment of support that takes advantage of recent technological innovations in assessment and intervention. The staff, children and parents all work together so synergistically. They really do enable all students to achieve the best that they can.”

Parents and donors, as well as educational and healthcare professionals interested in learning more about The Prentice School may visit prentice.org for additional information.

ABOUT THE PRENTICE SCHOOL

Founded in 1986, The Prentice School is a private, nonprofit academic school located in Tustin, California and is a Certified NonPublic School through the California Department of Education and is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The Prentice approach is designed to engage students on three learning pathways, including auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. Using evidence-based curriculum and instructional methodologies, a structured literacy approach, multi-sensory instructional strategies, and ongoing progress monitoring, The Prentice School offers an unparalleled learning experience to students with learning differences who possess average to high intelligence, whose needs have not been met in a more traditional classroom setting.

You can learn more about The Prentice School at www.prentice.org or call (714) 244-4600.